Platt’s take on the business

Industry-watcher Steven Platt puts out a regular e-mailer about research trends in the business. His latest includes a round-up of where things stand globally:

“In the U.K., for example, the apparent failure to generate significant advertising revenue streams has blunted new retail deployments. We believe that our British friends could benefit from proposing non-ad supported business models to their clients. Notwithstanding, inroads in some ad supported verticals in the U.K., such as hair salons, pharmacies, non-governmental managed post offices, malls, and pubs, for example, are being made. We see this same pattern in ad-supported businesses developing in the U.S., where broad-based ad programs are not materializing, but specific verticals with a more localized focus appear to be gaining traction.

Retail deployments in the U.S. in general, while active, appear to still be moving slowly. We believe that this situation will reverse itself, but not necessarily before 2008. This opinion is being driven, in part, by the fact that we see a slowing in the U.S. economy, and believe that DCN’s will be the short-term losers in the retail quest for budget allocations.

Other markets, however, are more robust and beginning to open. South Africa, China and India present interesting opportunities. Industries beyond retail, such as governmental, financial services, and out-of-home, also have promise. In addition, many large, well-capitalized multi-nationals, with lots of clients’ in-tow, are starting to get serious about DCN’s. For now, we generally suggest avoiding putting all of one’s energies into the U.S. market, and in traditional retail markets, specifically.”